Good news for Hobart.

[PJO]

There ain't no monorail and there never was.

Brilliant idea!!! We should have a massive snaking monorail to the top of Mt. Wellington.
Monorail, monorail, moronail, moron ail moron, 'ail morons, hail morons!

 

[NoFilter]

I just can't believe that there are people on here that are against having more MTB infrastructure made available to them. So close to town too... I rode the trails here last week and I cannot think of any way that this project is bad, the trails need some love, Hobart is on the verge of becoming the next queenstown/(insert your favourite Euro MTB destination here) and here we have MTB riders not wanting it? WTF?

I knew Tasmanians were a strange lot but really? Are these people climate change deniers too? Maybe Pauline Hanson voters? Fuck man this is crazy.

 

[rangersac]

I just can't believe that there are people on here that are against having more MTB infrastructure made available to them. So close to town too... I rode the trails here last week and I cannot think of any way that this project is bad, the trails need some love, Hobart is on the verge of becoming the next queenstown/(insert your favourite Euro MTB destination here) and here we have MTB riders not wanting it? WTF?

I knew Tasmanians were a strange lot but really? Are these people climate change deniers too? Maybe Pauline Hanson voters? Fuck man this is crazy.

So every MTB destination needs a cable car to get riders to the top does it? Funny, guess they missed that bit in Derby. Dude the infrastructure already exists, there's nothing in the cable car proposal that has anything to do with trail infrastructure. It will be a massive white elephant, the whole premise is to apparently get people to the summit when it snows, as currently the road takes too long to clear. It rather conveniently ignores that the weather when it snows on Mt Wellington is generally windy and shite, and it won't be able to run. If you listened to the promoters you'd think the mountain had more powder than the NZ alps.

 

[NoFilter]

So every MTB destination needs a cable car to get riders to the top does it? Funny, guess they missed that bit in Derby. Dude the infrastructure already exists, there's nothing in the cable car proposal that has anything to do with trail infrastructure. It will be a massive white elephant, the whole premise is to apparently get people to the summit when it snows, as currently the road takes too long to clear. It rather conveniently ignores that the weather when it snows on Mt Wellington is generally windy and shite, and it won't be able to run. If you listened to the promoters you'd think the mountain had more powder than the NZ alps.

To be fair you are probably across the facts a bit more than I am, but I still struggle to see why people are so against it. You are quite correct, Derby does very well without a lift of sorts, but I'm not sure if the gondola is purely about getting MTB riders up the hill in tis instance. It's a tourism thing designed to attract people and their money to the city. If I lived there I'd be stoked about something like this going in to add to my MTB experience, but that's just me. Nobody is forcing anybody to use it, so those that don't like it can steer away from it, there's plenty of other stuff to ride there.

I think this is a great attraction to bring tourism money into Hobart, it's an amazing place that this sort of thing can only improve.

 

[pink poodle]

So every MTB destination needs a cable car to get riders to the top does it? Funny, guess they missed that bit in Derby. Dude the infrastructure already exists, there's nothing in the cable car proposal that has anything to do with trail infrastructure. It will be a massive white elephant, the whole premise is to apparently get people to the summit when it snows, as currently the road takes too long to clear. It rather conveniently ignores that the weather when it snows on Mt Wellington is generally windy and shite, and it won't be able to run. If you listened to the promoters you'd think the mountain had more powder than the NZ alps.

Sounds like you need one of these bad boys and a few ski runs with all this hectic snow fall! I've seen these clear a lot of snow plenty fast...

 

[rangersac]

To be fair you are probably across the facts a bit more than I am, but I still struggle to see why people are so against it.

People have some pretty legitimate concerns about a scar running right up the face of the mountain that will be plainly visible from central Hobart. And the fact that if you have lived in Tasmania for long enough you get pretty cynical about the latest you beaut project that's going to transform the place, yet gets the hat out asking for public money to make it happen (look up the Solis golf course, DFO shopping centre near the airport, or do a bit of research on the current Macquarie Harbour fish farming schemoozle as some examples).

As a mountain biker the project really gives very little. The masterplan is here. What is currently proposed is bikes only as far as the Golden Gully site, which is near the top of the Tip Top trail. That's fuck all distance as Tip Top is basically the final bit of the lower Mt Wellington trail network. Or to put it another way you could ride from the Cascade terminus to Golden Gully in 15 minutes. The 'new trails' which are outlined on the map are just short connectors to already existing trail network, and in fact the route of the cable car takes it right through and would probably destroy some of the best existing unofficial trails (upper and lower loam line, and hobos). The second section won't be taking bikes, and even if it did there's no planned station at the Springs so wouldn't serve as a shuttle for the top of the North South track.

Sounds like you need one of these bad boys and a few ski runs with all this hectic snow fall! I've seen these clear a lot of snow plenty fast...

Nah, that'd remove one of Winter's great amusements around these parts. Watching clueless international tourists try and get up and down the summit road in the winter!

 

[dirtart]

Not quite correct-

We have developed a master plan for the cable car project that includes much more than just trails from the lower base station. Mountain biking is a core component of the project and the resulting trails will be substantial, and inclusive of the entire available elevation.

Re the scar on the mountain, each to their own opinion but just be clear- we are talking about a steel cable and some cable cars, there is absolutely not going to be a cleared scar up the face of the mountain.

People have some pretty legitimate concerns about a scar running right up the face of the mountain that will be plainly visible from central Hobart. And the fact that if you have lived in Tasmania for long enough you get pretty cynical about the latest you beaut project that's going to transform the place, yet gets the hat out asking for public money to make it happen (look up the Solis golf course, DFO shopping centre near the airport, or do a bit of research on the current Macquarie Harbour fish farming schemoozle as some examples).

As a mountain biker the project really gives very little. The masterplan is here. What is currently proposed is bikes only as far as the Golden Gully site, which is near the top of the Tip Top trail. That's fuck all distance as Tip Top is basically the final bit of the lower Mt Wellington trail network. Or to put it another way you could ride from the Cascade terminus to Golden Gully in 15 minutes. The 'new trails' which are outlined on the map are just short connectors to already existing trail network, and in fact the route of the cable car takes it right through and would probably destroy some of the best existing unofficial trails (upper and lower loam line, and hobos). The second section won't be taking bikes, and even if it did there's no planned station at the Springs so wouldn't serve as a shuttle for the top of the North South track.



Nah, that'd remove one of Winter's great amusements around these parts. Watching clueless international tourists try and get up and down the summit road in the winter!

 

[pink poodle]

Not quite correct-

We have developed a master plan for the cable car project that includes much more than just trails from the lower base station. Mountain biking is a core component of the project and the resulting trails will be substantial, and inclusive of the entire available elevation.

Re the scar on the mountain, each to their own opinion but just be clear- we are talking about a steel cable and some cable cars, there is absolutely not going to be a cleared scar up the face of the mountain.

So a commercial interest it is then...

 

[rangersac]

Not quite correct-

We have developed a master plan for the cable car project that includes much more than just trails from the lower base station. Mountain biking is a core component of the project and the resulting trails will be substantial, and inclusive of the entire available elevation.

Re the scar on the mountain, each to their own opinion but just be clear- we are talking about a steel cable and some cable cars, there is absolutely not going to be a cleared scar up the face of the mountain.

Excellent. I'll look forward to seeing the trail masterplan when it is released then. It certainly doesn't appear from the cable car masterplan though that bikes will be permitted on the Sky Tram section of the cable car. And the given the tram will bypass the Springs, where the majority of the currently proposed upgrades to the Mt Wellington trails are located, I hope the trail masterplan will include descent options to the Springs.

 

[dirtart]

We have been publicly involved in the project for a long time so clearly we have a commercial interest, this isn't any conspiracy theory.

Our post was simply to confirm that the planned mountain biking development is much bigger than others had alluded to.

More broadly, I have personally supported the project long before any commercial involvement. Again, this support has always been in the public domain. Even if no mountain biking were involved, on a personal level I would still support the project.

Cheers,
Simon

So a commercial interest it is then...

 

[pink poodle]

More broadly, I have personally supported the project long before any commercial involvement. Again, this support has always been in the public domain. Even if no mountain biking were involved, on a personal level I would still support the project.

Cheers,
Simon

Why would you support it if there was no financial gain for yourself? There's plenty of points being thrown up about why it's bad, what is it you see as good?

 

[Halo1]

It is interesting to follow this discussion as there is a similar proposal for MT Keira in Wollongong. Very similar community concerns and objections have been raised. The first time I heard of this proposal for Hobart was a direct comparison to MT Keira and at the time the sales pitch sounded like the Hobart thing was likely to go ahead. I never realised there were riders who strongly objected to this proposal.
Mt Keira is very unstable and some of the trails are in the current rock fall exclusion zone. The mountain would need some major stabilisation work and new trails developed to make it work from the top to bottom. Since we are in NSW the anti MTB state it was never going to happen in my life time anyway.

 

[dirtart]

The world would be a pretty miserable place if we only ever supported things that furthered our personal interests.

I have a personal view that Tasmania should be moving towards a sustainable, sensible eco and adventure tourism based economy, rather than our past reliance on extraction industries (Forestry, mining etc.).

I've always been openly supportive of projects in the above industries that are sensitive and appropriate. Such support had never been contingent on any personal or professional gain. Notably, I've supported numerous projects

Why would you support it if there was no financial gain for yourself? There's plenty of points being thrown up about why it's bad, what is it you see as good?

 

[bikeyoulongtime]

having tracked this for a long time I can only see a transfer of public funds to private pockets and no net gain at the end. maybe servicing the cruise ship nannas, but that's a pretty slim market.

I lived in Hobes for a while, and yes, it's a little insular and inward-looking.

However, it also has world-class climbing, bushwalking, and some decent mountain biking really close to a city. And a lot of it is a really accessible wilderness experience without any cable car, or any car at all.

Another of the joys of Mt Wellington for many is the fact that it *is* relatively hard to get to. You need some chops to go enjoy it, and for the most part it isn't a dumbed down 'experience'. I've spent a fair chunk of time hanging around on the rocks there, and a fair chunk of time riding my bike and walking there. I even walked from battery point to the top and back just for shits n gigs one day. I've stayed in the secret huts there, and explored a bunch of the mountain by foot, by bike, by climbing.

So for me, the cable car is a turnoff. What are alternatives? a shuttle bus from the springs is about the best I've heard of short of people just not being dickheads - which would actually solve a lot of the whole drama about access to Mt Wellington.

Of course mr dirtart has a commercial interest in seeing it go ahead - a big lever for more trail building contracts.

For ordinary people the cable car has no purpose, unless it came with shutting the road. Shutting the road isn't going to happen in a hurry.

I'd feel a *lot* better about the whole deal if not for the first sentence here - if it were less about transferring cash to private pockets with a high risk of failure, and more about a workable solution for mountain access - for example a cable car to the springs.

By the way, last I heard (last year) almost zero consultation about traffic impacts etc has been done with residents of areas affected by parking for the lower station. It's s a stinky project, and always has been.

So I'm basically seconding rangersac's concerns - and yeah, as a rider, I just think it's a lot of negative for a maybe small tiny wee hint of positive. As a climber it stinks bigtime (will the wedgies stay around? ever been eye to eye with one about 3m away? if you have, you'd be as negative as I am about preventing that experience for anyone else), as a walker it's neither here nor there, and if I lived in south hobart I'd be pouring sugar into dozer fuel tanks.

 

[nakedape]

Not quite correct-

We have developed a master plan for the cable car project that includes much more than just trails from the lower base station. Mountain biking is a core component of the project and the resulting trails will be substantial, and inclusive of the entire available elevation.

Re the scar on the mountain, each to their own opinion but just be clear- we are talking about a steel cable and some cable cars, there is absolutely not going to be a cleared scar up the face of the mountain.

Fuck off there's not going to be a scar - those cables need to be mounted on great big fuck off poles that will be visible for miles and sit in top of some the state's best climbing (which is both iconic and has been around much longer than mtb).

Not seeing the stupidity in this, not seeing the stupidity in this is more offensive than wind turbines (and cable cars).

Oh and dirt art, don't go fucking your hard earned reputation by supporting this shit!

Sent from two tin cans joined by string

 

[pink poodle]

The world would be a pretty miserable place if we only ever supported things that furthered our personal interests.

I have a personal view that Tasmania should be moving towards a sustainable, sensible eco and adventure tourism based economy, rather than our past reliance on extraction industries (Forestry, mining etc.).

I've always been openly supportive of projects in the above industries that are sensitive and appropriate. Such support had never been contingent on any personal or professional gain. Notably, I've supported numerous projects

Indeed it would be miserable. Tasmania isn't the only place that needs to try some forward thinking to solve the complications of modern life. In my experience it is better for the solution to have more local ownership and if possible participation. I wonder what the wider populace thinks of the monorail proposal?

 

[bikeyoulongtime]

Tasmania isn't the only place that needs to try some forward thinking to solve the complications of modern life.

Forward thinking can mean a lot of things - is it 'make technology do everything for us'? or 'evolve ourselves to require less technological assistance'? or someplace in between. I clearly prefer that second end of the spectrum, recognising that not all people have fully functioning bodies.

In my experience it is better for the solution to have more local ownership and if possible participation. I wonder what the wider populace thinks of the monorail proposal?

we gotta have that. it'll shit all over the cable car. Literally, once it's built over the top I'll be too old to care so I'll hang my butt out the window and lay some cable right on top of the car

 

[dirtart]

We have worked with companies around the world on proposals such as the Mount Wellington Cable Car; we definitely don't accept every offer we get to work on such projects, we are selective and chose to partner with projects that we feel offer a sensitive balance between tourism and conservation. In the case of this project we reviewed all of the plans a long time ago, and had extensive discussions with the developer before deciding to work with the project team.

As a company we understand that this is a contentious project for some people, but we believe in this setting that the project offers many positive for Tasmania, with very little environmental impacts- ultimately, Mount Wellington is already very industrialised (not the least of which is the giant towers at it's summit), and has a long history of recreation and tourism. It is our view, with the extensive knowledge of the project, that these existing uses will not be impacted upon by the development.

As for the scar, as I said form your own opinion, just be clear that we aren't talking a cleared cable route like a traditional chairlift or gondola- if this were the case we certainly would NOT be supporting the project. The visual impact is the poles, cables and the cable cars themselves.

Fuck off there's not going to be a scar - those cables need to be mounted on great big fuck off poles that will be visible for miles and sit in top of some the state's best climbing (which is both iconic and has been around much longer than mtb).

Not seeing the stupidity in this, not seeing the stupidity in this is more offensive than wind turbines (and cable cars).

Oh and dirt art, don't go fucking your hard earned reputation by supporting this shit!

Sent from two tin cans joined by string

 

[born-again-biker]

So why can't the same money & energy be used to improve / upgrade the existing road (which is f@rking narrow & bumpy), increase the parking at the springs, build a cafe/restaurant at the summit, and expand & upgrade the mtn bike trail network ???

Why couldn't you purchase large modern air-conditioned shuttle buses (combined with road surface/width upgrades) and run them on a rotating / continuous schedule from Salamanca to the summit, stopping at the springs. Fit 'em out with bike/equipment racks and employ locals to drive & service them.
That way you'd get increased access for the cruise ship / retiree / dumb tourist market + happy mtn bikers + happy climbers + happy hikers...??

Why is an irrelevant, dum-ass, ugly cable car SOO critical to the project ??
Why have the "pro-cable" camp clung so ferociously to the necessity of a cable car??
Smells like vested interests to me....

 

[nakedape]

So why can't the same money & energy be used to improve / upgrade the existing road (which is f@rking narrow & bumpy), increase the parking at the springs, build a cafe/restaurant at the summit, and expand & upgrade the mtn bike trail network ???

Why couldn't you purchase large modern air-conditioned shuttle buses (combined with road surface/width upgrades) and run them on a rotating / continuous schedule from Salamanca to the summit, stopping at the springs. Fit 'em out with bike/equipment racks and employ locals to drive & service them.
That way you'd get increased access for the cruise ship / retiree / dumb tourist market + happy mtn bikers + happy climbers + happy hikers...??

Why is an irrelevant, dum-ass, ugly cable car SOO critical to the project ??
Why have the "pro-cable" camp clung so ferociously to the necessity of a cable car??
Smells like vested interests to me....

Smells like a scam to me!

Sent from two tin cans joined by string